Feed-controlling apparatus for fluids



March 23 1926.. 1,578,010

R. F. BURKE FEED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR FLUIDS March 23 1925.

R. F. BURKE FEED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR FLUIDS Filed August 15 1921 2Sheets-Sheet. 2

' Mwmw A To all whom/fit may concern:

Patented hier. 23, i926.

`UNITED stares PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT F. BURKE, OF PHOENIXVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEED-CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR FLUIDS.

Application filed' August 15, 192'1. Serial No. 492,256.-

. Be. it known that I, Romani F. Roslin, a citizenof the United States,residing` at Fhoenixville, in the county of ChesterI and State ofPennsylvania, have invented cer-k tain new and useful Improvements 1nFeed-V Controlling Apparatus for Fluids, of which the' following isavspeciiication.

One object of my invention is to provide improved feed controllingapparatus which,

- among other uses, can be used withadvantage where it is desired toautomatically supply feed `water to an loperating steam boiler; saidapparatus being capable Iof keeping the boiler supplied with a properamount of water.

Another object is to so construct my im#v proved apparatus thatvariations in steam pressure will not interfere with the .properoperation of the apparatus to effect the supply of a proper amount ofwater.

VA further object is to so constructand arrange my improved apparatusthat 4when used in connection with a steam boiler the pressure in thefeed water pipe will not interfere with the proper operation of theapparatus.

A still further object is to make the apparatus of my invention of asimple and durable construction which can be readily f made andinstalled on boilers of .any type.

. These objects, and other advantageous ends which Iwill bedescribedhereinafter, I attain in the following manner, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is an elevationalview partly in sectionshowing one form of my improved apparatusconnected to a steamV boiler and the feed Water pipe; the connectionwith the boiler beingV through the medium of a water column,l

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing a-A slightly modified formin which the diaphragm'ca-se and its intermediate con-v trollingportions are arranged in a dierent position from Similar parts asillustrated in Figure 1, y

Figuresv3 and 4 arerelevational views partly in section illustratingvarious modifications and .arrangements of the apparatus of myinvention.

Referring` to the drawings and particularlyv to Figure l, 2O representsa steam boiler and 2l the feed water pipe which has f aportion 22 whichenters the boiler 20. The

boiler is shown with a well known form of water column23 which has itsupper and lower ends respectively in communication with the steam space24 and the water space 25` of the boiler.

,In applying my invention, I position a balanced valve 26 in the feedwater pipe 21 ina position preferably between a pump 27 and the portion22 of said feed water pipe. This balanced valve may be of any suitableconstruction, it being here stated that by the term balanced valve Imean to imply a valve which will not be either opened or closed by thepressureof the feed water in the pipe 2l.

A diaphragm case 28 in the form illustratechis preferably made in twoparts 29 and 30; there being a flexiblevdiaphragm 3l therein whichdivides the case into two compartments or chambers 32 and 33. Thediaphragm 31 in the form illustrated in Figure l is pivotally connectedwith a lever 34 which is secured to a short shaft 35 which projects outof the case preferably through a stuffing box 36. This shaft has alev'er 37 secured thereto; one end of the lever having a weioht 38adjustably mounted thereon while the other end of the lever 37 isconnected by a link rod 39 to thestem 40 of the balanced valve 26. Apipe or conduit 41 communicates with the compartment 33 of the diaphragmcase; said ypipe having an upright portion 42 which connects withanother upright portion 43 through the medium of a horizontal length ofpipe 44. This portion 43 at its bottom is connected with another pipeportion 45. The portion 45 .communicates with the interior of the watercolumn 23 at a position below the high water level which is indicated at46. The compartment 32 is in communication with the steam space 24 ofthe boiler through the medium of a pipe or conduit 47; said pipe 47having a portion 48 which leads upwardly to the level of the pipeportion 44 and this portion 48 connects with another pipe portion 49through the medium of a horizontal length of pipe 50.y The portion 49 ofthe pipe 47 communicates with the suficient operating water has enteredthe same. rlhen the feed water is cut off by any suitable means, suchfor example as by stopping the pump or by closing a valve, such forexample as the valve l. The boilerI is then fired and after steam hasbeen generated, condensation is set up so as to lill the compartments 32and 33 and also ll the vertical pipe portions and 48 up to the level ofthe pipe portions 44 and 50. Any air which is within the compartments 32and can be expelled therefrom by means of pet cocks 52 and 53. Aftersteam pressure has been created in the space 24 which, for example7 isapproximately five pounds (5 lbs), then the valve 51 is opened and theapparatus is ready for automatic action. If at the time that the valve51 is opened the water level in the boiler is below the entrance pointof the pipe portion 45 in the water column thenl the balanced valve 26will remain open for the reason that there is an equalization ofpressure within the compartments 32 and 33 and the weight 38 will thenact'to hold the valve 26 open so as to admit feed water into the boilerthrough the pipe portion 22. As soon as the water level rises to such aheight as to be above the position of entrance of the pipe portion 45into the water column 23, then said pipe portion 45 will be sealed withthe water and a reduction of pressure will be effected in thecompartment 33 initially due to condensation of steam v-.fithin theupright portion 43 of the pipe 41. rlhe portion 43 of the pipe will thenfill solidly with water from the boiler and will remain filled while thepor tion 45 of the pipe is sealed. The steam pressure in the boiler isthen compelled to support the weight of the column of water in the pipeportion 43 which continues to maintain the reduction in pressure in thecompartment 33. Buring the time of reduction of pressure in thecompartment 33, the steam pressure through the pipe 47 which enters thecompartment 32 effects a pressure in the compartment 32 greater than thepressure in the compartment 33 and the diaphragm 31 is then moveddownwardly to effect the raising of the weight 33 and the lowering ofthe valve rod 40 to close the balanced valve 26 and the water will thenbe cut olf and and prevented from entering the boiler. rlhe balancedvalve 26 will remain closed during the functioning of the boiler untilthe water in the boiler drops to a level so as to unseal the portion ofthe pipe 41. Then the water in the portions 43 and 45 of the pipe 41runs out into the water column and steam takes its place so as toequalize the pressure in the compartments 32 and 33. `When the pressureis equalized, the weight 3S will move the diaphragm 31 upwardly and willalso serve to move the valverod 40 upwardly to again ner/aero open thebalanced valve 26and admit more water to the boiler. vWhen the level ofthe water within the boiler rises to a level to again seal the portion45 of the pipe 41, a reduction in pressure will immediately take placein the compartment 33 for reasons above stated. Thus whenever the levelof the water within the boiler drops to an unsealing position relativelyto the portion 45 of the pipe 41 there will be an opening action of thebalanced valve 26 to admit additional feed water to the boiler and thewater will enter the boiler until the pipe portion 45 again becomessealed, which action will effect the closing of the balanced valve. Itwill be noted that the pipe 41 is the motor column and represents themedium through. which the apparatus functions.

In Figure 3, I have shown a construction which is substantially similarto. that described in connection with Figure 1 with the exception thatinstead of connecting the apparatus of my invention to the boilerthrough through the medium of a. Water column, I connect the samedirectly with the boiler with the motor column entering directly throughthe shell of the boiler and the other pipe, such as the pipe 47communicating directly with the steam space of the boiler. I havetherefore given corresponding parts, of the form of my invention shownin Figure 3, similar reference characters as applied to said parts inFigure 1.

In Figure 4, the construction is simlar to that illustrated in Figure 3with the exception that I include a condenser 54 in the uprightportion43 of the motor column; said condenser being of such constructionas to allow the circulation of cooled water through an inlet pipe 55 andoutlet pipe 56; the function of the condenser being to quickly condensethe steam within the portion 43 of the moto-r column to effect a quickaction of the device.

I have described my invention in conjunction with a steam boiler,however, it will be understood that the apparatus would oper ateadvantageously and is adapted for use in connection with` any meansoperative under substantially similar' conditions as a boiler when it isdesired to maintain a proper quantity of fluid within a receptacle.

YVhile I have described my invention as taking particular forms, it willbe understood that the various parts of my invention may be changedwitho-ut departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limitmyself` to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within thescope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Let# -ters Patent is A feed water regulator consisting of afeed Water conduit provided With a balanced Valve directly mountedtherein; a diaphragm case mounted above said valve andY separatedtherefrom; a diaphragm dividing the case into two compartments; a shaftextending from said case; a lever fastened to? saidshaft Within saidrcase and connected to said diaphragm; a second lever fastened to theshaft on the outside of'said case and provided With an adjustableWeight; a rod extending from said second lever to said balanced valve; aconduit of substantially uniform inner cross section connecting thesteam space of the boiler with one of said compartments and arranged toprovide a 15 Water trap; and a conduit of substantially uniform crosssection Whlch provides a motor column and has one end opening into theother of said compartments and has its :t other end extending to a pointbelow the 20 high Water level of the boiler to be sealed thereby andunsealed when the Water level falls, substantially-as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my Y' name to this specication. i

ROBERT F.BURKE.

